This invention was the subject matter of Document Disclosure Program Registration No. 187,541 which was filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Mar. 1, 1988.
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,547,070; 4,382,541; 3,426,966 and 4,492,335 the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse mailbox signalling devices. While all of the aforementioned prior art devices are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they were specifically designed, these devices are also uniformly deficient in one major respect.
This major deificiency resides in the fact that all of the prior art constructions are restricted to either a rural or a residential mailbox and are not interchangeable or adapted for use with both types of mailboxes.
Rural mailboxes for the purposes of this invention are characterized by a hinged closure that swings outwardly and downwardly relative to the mailbox opening; whereas, residentail mailboxes are characterized by a hinged lid that swings upwardly and outwardly with respect to the mailbox receptacle.
Given the reverse direction of the opening motion of the mailbox lid or closure, it is not really surprising that the prior art constructions are normally only effective with one of the two types of mailboxes.
In addition, while gravity actuated signalling devices find widespread usage in conjunction with rural type mailboxes, the prior art is virtually devoid of gravity controlled signalling devices used in conjunction with the upwardly swinging residential type mailbox.
Based on the foregoing situation is should not come as a surprise that there has existed a longstanding need among manufacturers of both mailboxes and signalling devices for the development of a signalling device that can be used interchangeably and with equal effectiveness on both the rural and the residential type of mailbox.